Predetermined registering device for printing elements



Sept 13, 1949. w. c. HUEBNER PREDETERMINED REGISTERING DEVICE FORPRINTING ELEMENTS Filed Sept. 27. 1944 fifi/z Patented Sept. 13, 1949PREDETERMINED REGISTERING DEVICE FOR PRINTING ELEMENTS William C.Huebner, New York, N. Application September 27, 1944, Serial No. 555,930

4 Claims.

This invention relates to registering devices and a method ofregistration for predetermining the positions of printing elements, suchas film negatives or positives and printing plates of metal or analogoussheet material in printing presses or machines, and more particularly toimprovements in a method and means for preparatorily registering orpredetermining accurately the positions in which such printing elementsare to be mounted in the printing machines or presses.

As one of its purposes, the invention provides means whereby thin orfiexible printing plates which are to be mounted in prescribed positionsupon the cylinders or plate carriers of electronographic or otherprinting presses or machines can be expeditiously and easily registeredor positioned independently of, or outside of the printing machine,before being mounted in the latter, so that they will be accuratelylocated in the prescribed positions when placed for use in the printingmachine Without the necessity of then adjusting or registering them.Secondly, the invention provides means by which the positions of filmsto be used in making photographic contact prints on the sensitized*printing cylinders or elements of printing apparatus can be readilypredetermined with accuracy preparatory to placing the films in theapparatus for photographically producing images therefrom on thesensitized surthey can be of thin, flexible or resilient sheet materialwhich will readily conform to the surfaces on which they are to bemounted, and the backs of the plates can be cemented to said surfaceswith the printing faces of the plates facing outwardly so that they canbe inked and prints made therefrom.

Registering means according to my invention thus have two distinctpurposes or uses since they will function equally Well for securingpredetermined register either of printing plates on the cylinders orother plate-supporting elements of printing presses, or of lms incontact photographic printing or composing machines.

One object of my invention is to provide a practical and desirableregistering device of novel construction by means of which the abovementioned purposes can be readily and efficiently performed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing specification of the preferred embodiment of the invention..

shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of theinvention are set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a registering device embodying my invention,showing the portable holder or frame for the printing plate or elementpartly broken away to expose to view portions of the underlying printingelement.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, partly in section, on line 2 2,Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal, sectional elevation thereof online 33, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale, showing one of thekeepers or holding devices for the portable holder for the printingelement.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention Villustrated in thedrawings, the registering dei and placed in a predetermined, registeredposition, by means of cooperating registering indicia on the registeringsurface and on the printing element, means such for instance, as suctionor vacuum-applying means for releasably retaining the printing elementin place on said surface so as to prevent it from shifting out of theregistered position on said surface, a portable holder or frame which isadapted to be placed on and attached to the printing element, and meanswhereby said portable holder or frame is removably held in apredetermined relation to said registering surface and to the printingelement for attachment to the latter, said portable holder or framebeing removable, with the printing element attached in its registeredposition thereto, from the registering device for placing the printingelement in the position, predetermined by the registering device, in thepress or machine by which prints are to be made from the printingelement.

As shown in the drawings, the device comprises a stationary stand ortable frame I0 of any suitable construction, the top or top plate I I ofWhich forms the supporting and registering surface for the printingelement. The stand or table frame shown is formed by upright posts orlegs I2 at the four corners of the stand rigidly connected bylongitudinal and transverse cross braces I3 and an open, rectangular,horizontal top frame I4 on which the top platev II forming theregistering surface is suitably secured so a's to be held stationary orin fixed position, as for instance, .by cementing the top plate on thetop frame I4 between parallel, fixed horizontal rails I5 which projectupwardly from the top frame along its opposite side edges. Theselongitudinal rails I5 are made accurately parallel with each other andserve in part to accurately position and hold the top plate in placebetween them.

Preferably, the top plate forming the regis tering surface is made ofglass or other suitable transparent or translucent material, and isprovided on its top surface with longitudinal and transverse registerlines I6 and I1 which cross each other at the center of the plate. Thelongitudinal register line I6 is made parallel with and midway betweenthe longitudinal rails I5 or the side edges of the top plate, and thetransverse line I'I is perpendicular to the longitudinal line at itscenter point, so that by laying a printing nlm or element on the surfaceof the plate and shifting it as may be necessary to place cross registerlines, marks or indicia I8 correspondingly located on the printing filmor element in coincidence or registration with the register lines of theregistering surface, the printing lm or element can be positionedexactly in a required centered or registered position on the registeringsurface. Electric or other suitable lamps i9 are shown in a lamp housingor casing beneath the registering plate for illuminating the same, sothat the register lines oi' the plate and film are made readily visibleto facilitate the registration of the register lines or marks of thefilm with those of the registering surface.

In the use of this registering device, the printing tllm or element isplaced or registered in the predetermined position on the registeringsurface, as explained, and is attached in this position to a portableholder or frame which bears a predetermined relation to the registeringsurface and by means of which the printing element is transfered in itssaid registered position to the printing machine or apparatus by whichprints are to be made from the printing element in like, predeterminedposition on a print-receiving surface. It is important to retain theprinting element in the position to which it has been adjusted on theregistering surface, or, that is, to prevent it from sluiting out ofsuch registered position while applying and fastening the portableholder or frame to the printing element. Suction or vacuumholding meansare shown for this purpose, cornprising a pipe or tube 2| which isconnected with a suction pump or vacuum-creating device (not shown) forexhausting air from the pipe, which may be provided with branches 22cemented or otherwise suitably secured at their ends to the registeringplate in communication with holes 23 that pass through the plate, sothat air can be exhausted from between its 'upper surface and theprinting element lying thereon over the holes 23, whereby the printingelement will be held firmly down against the registering surface andprevented from shifting thereon out of its registered position. Thevacuum pipe or tube 2| may be equipped with a treadle-actuated or othersuitable valve 24, by actuation of which the suction or vacuum can beconveniently applied and broken for holding and releasing the printingelement.

25 represents the portable holder or frame which is attached inpredetermined position to the registered printing element fortransferring the latter to and mounting it in the predetermined,required position in the printing press or apparatus. This holderpreferably consists of in open, rectangular frame-shaped piece of thin,flexible and resilient sheet metal or other suitable thin materialadapted to be laid on the printing element, which has been registered onthe registering surface, in contact with the marginal portions of theupper face of the printing element, so that the printing image or imageson the printing element are exposed to light and view through thecentral opening of the holder. pose of attaching the holder 25 t0 theprinting element, the holder is preferably provided along its side orside and end portions with through holes 26, and while the holder isheld in place upon the printing element, strips of adhesive or draftingtape or the like 21 are applied and caused to adhere to the uper face ofthe holder over the holes 26, and are pressed through the holes intocontact with the underlying portions of the printing element so as toadhere thereto and fasten the printing element rmly to the underside ofthe holder. The holder is provided, preferably at opposite ends on itslongitudinal central line, with upwardly projecting dowel pins, studs orparts 28 adapted to enter ano fit sllidably in holes or recesses 29 insocket pieces 30 of a keeper or holding means, whereby the portableholder 25 may be held in a predetermined or centered relation to theregistering surface over the printing element while attaching the holderto the printing element. One of the dowels 28 is fixed but the other ispreferably permitted slight longitudinal movement, as in a slot 28a inthe holder. This enables easier insertion of the dowels in the dowelholes, and since there is no side movement,

' the registration is exact with the holder flat or straight.

This keeper or holding means, as shown, cornprises two transverse bars3| on which the socket pieces 30 are mounted midway between the ends ofthe bars, and which are adjustably connected with the longitudinal railsI5 of the main frame or stand I0 so as to be held in parallelism atright angles to the rails I5 and at greater or less distances apart atopposite sides of and equidistant from the transverse register line I1of the registering surface, as may be necessary to accommodate portableholders 25 of different sizes. For this purpose the stationary rails I5shown are provided with spaced, transverse notches 32 in which thetransverse keeper bars 3| are adapted to be seated, the notches in theopposite rails I5 being arranged opposite to each other in pairs atdifferent distances from and at opposite sides of the transverseregister line Il so that the bars 3| can be placed at the requireddifferent distances apart equidistant from the transverse register lineI1 to suit different sized holders 25, by seating them in theappropriate pairs of notches of the rails I5. The notches may benumbered or otherwise identified to facilitate the proper placing of thekeeper bars 3| for a holder of any particular size. The keeper bars 3|are also preferably provided on their undersides with notches 33 intowhich one of the stationary rails i5 seats to thus hold the bars fromshifting in the direction of their length relatively to the stationaryrails. In other words, one of the rails I5 and the transverse keeperbars are provided with intertting notches, whereby the transverse barsare held from movement both lengthwise thereof and along the rails I5.Thus, the socket pieces 30 which receive the dowel pins of the portableholder frame, are retained midway between the stationary rails i5 orvertically over the longitudinal For the purregister line i6 of theregistering surface, and the socket pieces can be adjusted nearer to orfarther from each other, as may be necessary, for receiving the dowelsof holder frames of different sizes, by seating the keeper bars inappropriate pairs of notches in the stationary rail I5.

In order to locate the dowel-receiving holes of the socket piecesprecisely in the vertical plane of the longitudinal register line IB,each socket piece is preferably mounted on a block 34 which is slidablyadjustable along itsvrelated keeper bar 3l, as by providing the blockwith a transverse opening through which the bar passes and fitsslidably, and the block is adjusted lengthwise on the bar, as by screws36 turning in threaded holes in lugs on the bar and bearing againstopposite sides of the block. By appropriate operation of these screws,the block can be adjusted to locate the dowel-receiving hole of thesocket piece precisely vertically above the longitudinal register linef6. Set screws 31 are also shown for locking the blocks in place whenaccurately adjusted on the keeper bars. The socket pieces 30 areslidable up and down in vertical bores 38 in the supporting blocks 34for engaging them with and disengaging them from the dowel pins of theholder 25, the socket pieces being provided at their upper ends withknobs or handle portions for raising and lowering them, and as shown,being provided with lateral pins 39 projecting into vertical slots inthe supporting blocks to limit the sliding movement of the socket piecesand prevent their accidental disengagement from their supporting blocks.

The use of the device for registering a transparent printing film may bedescribed as follows: The film t is laid on the registering plate orsurface li and shifted, as required, to bring the register marks orindicia i8 of the film into exact coincidence or registration with theregister lines i6, il of the registering surface, which can be quicklyand easily done, since the register lines or marks are clearly visiblethrough the transparent registering plate and film illuminated frombelow by the lamps la, Then the treadle valve 24 is actuated to causevacuum or suction to act to retain the film firmly in the registeredposi- 'tion on the registering surface. A portable holder 25 ofappropriate size is then laid over the registered film and the keeperbars 3l appropriately adjusted to locate the socket pieces over and inposition to be engaged with the dowels 28 of the holder, which is thusheld in the predetermined, centered position over the printing element.The adhesive strips are then applied on the holder to fasten theprinting element thereto, as before explained. Then the socket piecesare disengaged and the treadle valve actuated to break the suction torelease the printing film from the registering surface, thus permittingthe removal of the portable holder with the printing film attachedthereto, from the device. Successive films can thus be registered inexactly like positions by similarly registering the films on theregistering plate and attaching a like holding frame to each film. Inthis way a set of films, for instance, for the successive prints of amulti-color job, can be accurately registered quickly and easily, onewith another, so that when the films attached to the portable holdersare transferred from the registering device to the printing press orapparatus, the successive color impresssions can be made in registerwith great precision in the positions required as predetermined by theregistering device.

This device or apparatus is also adapted for use for registering andattaching non-transparent printing plates in the required samepredetermined' position on the portable holders-25 for transfer in theregistered position to the printing apparatus. For such work theregister lines or marks I8 of the printing plate may extend to theextreme edges of the printing' plate to enable their registration withthe register lines I6 and I1 of the registering surface, or the registerlines I8 of the printing plate may be disposed to enable theirregistration with appropriate register lines 42, see Fig. 1, provided onthe portable holder 25, in which case, since the holder is located in apredetermined, centered position with f reference to the registeringsurface by its keeper or holding means 30, 3|, the printing plate, whentaped to the holder and transferred to the printing apparatus, will bevlocated precisely in the required position in the printing apparatus.

Since the holder 25, as explained, is thin and flexible, it 'is adaptedfor use for predetermining the position of thin, flexible printing filmsor plates either on a fiat surface or cylinder printing apparatus. Forinstance, the holder with the printing element attached in registeredposition thereon is adapted for use in the vacuum holder for printingcylinders disclosed in my U. S. Patent #2,174,882, granted Oct. 3, 1939.

The hereindescribed portable holder and its keeper means including thesocket pieces 30 on the adjustable bars for receiving the dowels 28 ofthe holder are capable of use in registering means such as disclosed inmy copending application for U. S. Patent, Serial No. 555,929, forholding the portable holder in predetermined, centered relation to theregistering surface, in place of the means disclosed in saidapplication, comprising dowel holes in the registering surface arrangedto receive dowels projecting downwardly from the portable holder.

I claim:

1. A registering device of the character described comprising a supporthaving a registering surface for supporting a sheet-like printingelement placed face to face thereon and provided with longitudinally andtransversely extending central register lines cooperative with indiciaon said printing element to locate the printing element in a definiteregistered posi-` tion on said surface, guide rails on said support atopposite sides of said surface parallel with said longitudinal registerline and having transverse notches arranged in pairs differently spacedfrom said transverse register line with the notches of each pair atopposite sides of and equidistant from said transverse register line,transverse parallel bars engageable in one or another of said pairs ofnotches and thereby held parallel with each other at different equaldistances from said transverse register line, each of said bars having anotch in which one of said rails slidably engages toprevent shifting ofsaid bar lengthwise of itself, a removable open frame holder placeableface to face over said printing element on said registering surface withthe printing element exposed through the opening of said holder, saidholder having upwardly projecting dowels located centrally at itsopposite ends, and socket pieces mounted centrally on said bars to movetoward and from said registering surface to releasably engage saiddowels in dowel holes in said socket pieces for removably holding saidholder in a predetermined centered position relative to said registeringsurface, said holder being attachable in said position to said printingelement and removable with the attached printing element from theregistering device.

2. A registering device of the character described comprising a supporthaving a registerlng surface for supporting a sheet-like element placedface to face thereon, means by which said printing element is locatablein a predetermined position on said surface, means for withdrawing airfrom between said registering surface and said printing element forreleasably securing the printing element on said surface while retainingthe element in said predetermined position, a portable thin frame-likeholder for said printing element placeable on the upper face of saidprinting element and having an opening through which the element isexposed, said holder being of one or another size to accommodatedifferent sized printing elements, and means for locating and removablyholding said holderI over said registering surface and printing elementin predetermined centered relation to said registering surfacecomprising dowel pins projecting up centrally from opposite end portionsof said holder, and cooperating keeper members mounted on said supportand adjustable over said registering surface parallel with thelongitudinal central line of the surface, a plurality of differentlyspaced pairs of fixed stops located with the stops of each pairequidistant longitudinally from the center of said registering surfacewith which stops said keeper members are engageable and thereby locatedin different predetermined definite relations to the registering surfacedepending upon the dimensions of said holder, said keeper members` beingreleasably engageable with said dowel pins a of said holder whereby saidholder is removably held in said predetermined centered relation, andmeans for attaching said holder in said predetermined relation to saidprinting element While the latter is retained in said registeredposition on said surface, said keeper members being disengageabl fromsaid holder members for removing said holder from the registering devicewith the printing element attached in said registered position theretoafter first releasing the printing element from said registeringsurface.

3. A registering device of the character described comprising a supporthaving a registering surface for supporting a sheet-like printingelement placed face to face thereon, means by which said printingelement is locatable and secured in a predetermined position on saidsurface, a portable thin fram -like holder for said printing elementpiaceable ilatwise on the upper face of said printing element and havingan opening through which the element is exposed, said holder being ofone or another size to accommodate printing elements of different sizes,and means for locating and removably holding said holder over saidregistering surface and printing element in predetermined centeredrelation to said registering surface comprising dowels projecting upcentrally from opposite end portions of said holder, socket pieces withdowel holes to removably receive said dowels, bars arranged transverselyover said registering surface and movably supporting said socket@ piecesover said holder, said registering surface having a transverse centralline, guide means by which said bars are adjustable parallel with saidtransverse central line of said registering suri'ace to predetermineddefinite positions at opposite sides of and equidistant from thelongitudinal central of said surface and are held parallel with eachother in said adjustments, and said socket pieces being engageable inone of said adjustments with said dowels, whereby said holder regardlessof its length will be held in predetermined centered relation to saidregistering surface, and means for attaching said holder in saidpredetermined relation to said printing element while the latter isretained in said registered position on 'said surface, said socketpieces being disengageable from said dowels for removing said holderfrom said registering device with the printing element attached in saidregistered position thereto.

4. A registering device of the character described comprising a supporthaving an illuminable transparent plate providing a registering surfacefor supporting a sheet-like printing element placed face to facethereon, said plate having longitudinally and transversely extendingcentral register lines cooperable with indicia on said printing elementto locate the printing element in a predetermined registered position onsaid surface, upwardly projecting parallel rails on said support atopposite longitudinal edges of said plate and parallel with saidlongitudinal register line and having transverse notches in their upperedges arranged in differently spaced and designated pairs with thenotches of each pair at opposite sides of and equidistant from saidtransverse register line, transverse parallel bars engageable in one oranother of said pairs of notches and thereby held parallel with eachother at different equal distances from and at opposite sides of saidtransverse register line, each of said bars having in its bottom a notchin which one of said rails slidably engages for preventing shifting ofsaid bar lengthwise of itself, and socket pieces mounted centrally onsaid bar and movable thereon toward and from said registering surfaceand having dowel holes to releasably receive dowels projecting outcentrally from opposite end portions of a portable holder for saidprinting element, said holder being of sheet-like open frame formadapted to be placed over and attached to the upper face of saidprinting element on said registering surface and expose the printingelement through the opening of said holder, said adjustment of said barsto one or another of the pairs of said paired notches placing saidsocket pieces in position for engagement with the dowels of portableholders of predetermined different lengths.

WILLIAM C. HUEBNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,855 Frankboner Sept. 13,1938 1,452,078 Huebner Apr. 17, 1923 1,761,863 Bassist June 3, 19301,914,126 Huebner June 13, 1933 1,914,127 Huebner June 13, 19331,987,102 Gimplin Jan. 8, 1935 2,131,323 Huebner Sept. 27, 19382,174,882 Huebner Oct. 3, 1939

